1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid terminal for a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) or a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), and more particularly to method for managing a database in a GSM/GPRS hybrid terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A GSM/GPRS system is a digital mobile telephone system widely used in Europe and other regions. In the general GSM/GPRS system, a GSM Mobile Equipment (ME) means a combination of a GSM/GPRS Mobile Terminal (MT) with a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. A SIM card stores information relating to a subscriber identity such as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). Further, a SIM card stores contents of a phone book or SMS of a GSM/GPRS user.
Recently, a hybrid terminal (smart phone) has been developed, in which a GSM/GPRS mobile terminal is combined with a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) for a personal information management function. The hybrid terminal is shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of an existing hybrid terminal. The hybrid terminal includes a PDA unit 200 and a phone unit 100. The phone unit 100 includes a first controller 110, a Radio Frequency (RF) unit 120, a SIM card 130 and a voice processor 140. The first controller 110 controls the general operation and communication function of the phone unit 100. The SIM card 130 stores an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), Short Messaging Service (SMS) information, a phone book, etc. Further, the PDA unit 200 includes a display unit 210, a user interface 220, a second controller 230 and a database 240. The second controller 230 controls the general operation of the PDA unit 200. The database 240 is connected between the first controller 110 and the second controller 230 and stores data of the PDA unit 200 and data of the phone unit 100. Further, the database 240 is used by both the first controller 110 and the second controller 230.
In the aforementioned hybrid terminal, separate power is supplied to the PDA unit 200 and the phone unit 100. That is, the PDA unit 200 and the phone unit 100 may be separately turned on/off. However, since the hybrid terminal generally operates based on the PDA unit 200, when the PDA unit 200 is in an off state, the phone unit 100 is also in off state. In contrast, when the PDA unit 200 is in an on state, the phone unit 100 may be turned on or turned off.
In particular, in the hybrid terminal including the GSM/GPRS mobile terminal, the mobile terminal cannot use a communication function without the SIM card 130. When a user uses only the PDA unit 200 in a state in which the phone unit 100 is turned off, it is possible to use phone book data stored in the PDA unit 200. When the phone unit 100 is in on state, the database 240 is used by both the phone unit 100 and the PDA unit 200. Accordingly, the database 240 stores PDA data a and SIM data b as shown in an upper part of FIG. 1. The SIM data b stored in the database 240 is loaded from the SIM card 130 when the phone unit 100 is turned on, and the phone unit 100 manages the SIM data by means of the database 240.
In the meanwhile, since the PDA unit 200 constructs the database 240 in a volatile memory, the database 240 is deleted when the hybrid terminal is discharged. Accordingly, a user may back up the database 240 of the PDA unit 200 to a Personal Computer (PC), etc., and then restore the database 240 to the PDA unit 200 again.
Herein, since the database 240 is used by both the PDA unit 200 and the phone unit 100, the SIM data stored in the database 240 is also backed up together with the PDA data. This will be described with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the conventional data backup and restoration process in the hybrid terminal. When a user selects a backup function in the hybrid terminal, the hybrid terminal backs up the database 240 of the PDA unit 200 shown in FIG. 2A to the PC as shown in FIG. 2B. Accordingly, PDA data a and first SIM data b stored in the database 240 are stored in the PC. Further, PDA data a and first SIM data b of the PC shown in FIG. 2C is restored to a database 10 of the hybrid terminal as shown in FIG. 2D. If the phone unit 100 of the hybrid terminal is turned on, data of the SIM card 130 currently used in the phone unit 100 are loaded to the database 10. Accordingly, the first SIM data b restored from the PC and the second SIM data c currently loaded from the SIM card 130 co-exists in the database 10.
In the prior art as described above, since the hybrid terminal cannot separately manage the PDA data and the SIM data, the SIM data may be undesirably backed up or restored when a backup or a restoration is performed during PC synchronization. Further, as described above, when a user only the PDA unit 200 in a state where the PDA unit 200 is turned off, the database 240 may store not only the PDA data of the PDA unit 200 but also the SIM data of the phone unit 100. Therefore, the user cannot exclusively use the database 240 as a database of the PDA unit 200. Further, when the PDA unit 200 provides the PDA data to another hybrid terminal, the SIM data may also be transferred to another hybrid terminal. Therefore, there may be a problem in protection of the SIM data.